Lay indicator for wire rope machines



`luly 30, 1940.

W. E. SQMERVILLE LAY INDICATOR FOR WIRE ROPE MACHINES Filed April 15,1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 30, `1940. w. E. soMERvlLLE 2,209,584

LAY INDICATOR FOR WIRE ROPE MACHINES Filed April 15. 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet2 .1 leg Iuly 30, 1940. w. E. soMERvlLLE LAY INDICATOR FOR WIRE ROPEMACHINES Filed April l5, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 July 30, 1940. w. E.soMERvlLLE 2,209,584-

LAY INDICATOR FOR WIRE ROPE MACHINES Filed April l5. 1939 y 4SheetSSheet 4 W owvrey:

Patented July 30, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LAY INDICATOR FORWIRE ROPE MACHINES William E. Somerville, Coal City, Ill.

Application April 15, 1939, Serial No. 268,140

6 claims. This invention relates in general to wire rope or cable makingmachines, but more specifically,

to indicating mechanism for indicating the length of the lay ofthestrands in the wire rope or cable, whereby the operator may be ableto readily and quickly determine whether or not the machine is operatingto produce the particular lay desired.

In wire rope or cable making machines of this character it hasheretofore been necessary when measuring the lay, or to start a new ropeor cable, to stop the machine and to then produce the proper lay it wasnecessary to change the gears, with the result that close inspection wasnecessary in order to see that the operation of the machine continueswith the proper lay.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide improvedmechanism for use in conjunction with a wire rope or cable machine whichwill indicate to the operator at a glance whether the machine isoperating properly and as he desires, as such indicator will operateautomatically.

A further object is to provide an improved attachment of this characterwhich will also indicate the diameter and size of the rope that is beingformed by the machine, and further to indicate the extent of advancementof the rope.

A further object is to provide improved mechanism of this characteradapted to be adjusted to accommodate ropes or cables of differentsizes.

To the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new anduseful objects as will appear, the invention consists in the features ofnovelty in substantially the construction, combination and arrangementof the several parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed andshown in the accompanying drawings illustrating this invention, and inwhich Figure 1 is a side elevation of indicating mechanism of thischaracter constructed in accordance with the principles of thisinvention and showing the same as applied to one end of a wire rope orcable machine, the head end only of the rope machine being shown.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2 2 Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of Figure 2 with parts omitted and withparts in section.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the indicating mechanism shown in Figure1, on an enlarged scale.

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view taken on u linel-IiFigure4.

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view as taken on line 6 6 Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a detail sectional view taken on line 1 1 Figure 4. A

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 8 8 Figure 1, on anenlarged scale.

Figure 9 is a detail sectional View taken`on line 9 9 Figure 1, on anenlarged scale. f

Referring more vparticularly to the drawings. the numeral I 0 designatesgenerally the head end of a wire rope or cable making machine, thestrands of wire II after leaving the head passing through the usual dieI2 to produce the rope or cable I3.

The head of the machine embodies a rotatable member I4 which supportsthe head I6, and secured to the face of the member I4 is a cam I6. Thishead is supported in the usual manner upon rollers I6 and is engaged byanother roller I1 supported by a yoke I6 that encompasses the head andwhich yoke is held in position by means of suitable devices I9.

A supporting structure 26 is provided for the head and the die I2 and isitself mounted upon a supporting base 2I.

The measuring and indicating mechanism consists essentially of arotatable member 22 which may be of any desired construction here beingshown in the form of a spoked wheel and if desired and in order toconceal the spokes a disc or member 23 may be anchored to the spokes.

The member 22 is secured to a shaft 24 for rotation therewith and thisshaft is journaled in suitable bearings 25-26 that form a part of thearms of a yoke or bifurcated member 21, the rotatable member 22 standingwithin the arms 28 of the bifurcation.

A rearwardly projecting arm 29 of the yoke is secured to a shaft 36 forrotation therewith and the shaft 30 is journaled in bearings 3I of 40the bifuroated end of an arm or bracket 32, a portion 33 of the arm orbracket being offset for a purpose to be set forth.

To this -bracket 32 and preferably adjacent one end thereof is secured adepending threaded 45 member 34 which passes through a bearing 35 inanother arm or bracket 36 secured to the supporting structure 26.

The threaded member 34 also passes through and has engagement with athreaded member 31 preferably in the form of a hand wheel which A restsupon the bearing 35 so that by turning the hand wheel 31 the arm orbracket 32 will be raised or lowered with respect to the bracket 36.

A supporting roller 36 is carried by the bracket 32 and this roller 38is secured to a shaft 38 for rotation therewith and which shaft ismounted in suitable bearings 48, preferably ball bearings. The threadedmember 34 may be separate from the arm 32 and secured thereto in anysuitable manner (see particularly Figure 8) by having one end thereoftelescope into thev bracket 32 and being fastened in position by meansof a fastening pin 4I.

In order to maintain the member 4I against rotation when the hand wheelV31 is rotated, there may be provided a key 42 within the bearing 35 toengage the bearing and the member 34 so that by rotating the hand wheel31 the roller 38 may be raised and lowered with respect to the bearing35 so as to position the roller in proper alinement with the die l2 sothat the rope or cable I3 as it passes from the die I2 will engage andrest upon the roller 38 and be maintained in a straight line. The cutaway or deflected portion 33 of the member or bracket 32 is provided soas to accommodate the rope or cable I3 to maintain it in a substantiallystraight line.

Supported by the arm 28 ofthe yoke 21 is an electroresponsive device 43the armature 44 of which has connected to it a member 45 which slides ina suitable bearing 45. Theforward end of this member 45 is shaped toform a yoke 41 having projections 48 on the arm of the yoke which entera circumferential recess or groove 49 in a collar 58' which is slidablymounted upon a bushing or sleeve 5IA supported by arm 28 of the yoke 21,so that when the electro responsive device 43 is energized, the armature44 will be shifted to shiftthe yoke 41 and move the sleeve or bushing5IA in one direction against the stress of spring 5I, one end of whichis anchored to the bearing 46 and the other to an anchor pin 52 carriedby the yoke 41. This spring 5I tends to retract the yoke or move lt backto its normal position upon de-energization ofthe electro responsivedevice 43. An adjustable stop 53 may be provided to be engaged by an armor projection 54 on the member 45 to limit the movement of the yoke 41under the stress of thev spring 5I.

This electro responsive device 43 is controlled automatically by a.switch device designated generally by the reference numeral 55 and maybe of any desired or well known construction sufce it to say that theswitch is provided with an arm 5,6 connected by means of a link 51 toone end of a member 58 that is pivotally supported intermediate itsends, as at 58, and on the other end of the arm is journaied a roller68. This arm 58 is mounted upon a fixed part of the machine which is sopositioned that theroller 58 will becontacted by the cam` I5 on therotatable member I4 of the head of the machine Vso that the arm 58 willbe rocked about its pivot 59 to swing the lever 55 and thereby actuatethe switch 55 to energize and de-energize the electro-responsive device43.

Mounted upon a fixed support, such for instance as the arm or bracket32, is a dial 5I having indications 62 thereon of any suitabledesignation, such as inches, and'pivotally mounted, as at 63, toco-operate with the indications 82 and to move thereover is a pointer orindicator 64, and `secured to the axis of this indicator or to theindicator itself for movement therewith is a gear 85 which meshes with agear 68 that in turn is secured to the shaft 38 to which the arm 28 ofthe yoke 21 is secured.

It will therefore be seen that when the yoke wardly across theindications 62 on the dial 6I.

Arranged adjacent the rotatable member 22 and partially encompassing the'shaft 24 is another dial 81 having indications 68 thereon forindicating the length of the lay. These indications 68 may be of anysuitable type such for instance as linear indications or characters. Thedial is secured to the yoke to rise and fall therewith when the yoke isrocked about its pivot and this rising andA falling movement is impartedthereto by reason of the contact of the rotatable member 22 with therope or cable I3 as the latter rests upon the supporting roller 38 onthe arm or bracket 32.

Secured to the collar 58 for rotation therewith are diametricaloppositely disposedV arms 68-18, the extremity of one of which arms isshaped to form a pointer or indicator 1Iv that is adapted to be movedover the indications 6B when the collar 58 is rotated about the shaft24.

Carried by these arms 69-18 are friction elements 12 which are disposedadjacent the lateral face of the periphery of the rotatable element 22(see particularly Figure 4) and are adapted, when the electro responsive'device 43 is energized, to be shifted with the arms 69-18, so that theywill engage the face of the rotatable member 22 to frictionally connectthe arms 69-18 for rotation with the rotatable member 22 and therebymove the pointer or indicator 1I over the indications 68 on the dial 61.

When, as before stated, the electro responsive device is de-energizedthe spring 5I will retract the yoke, and with it the arms 63--18 so asto move the frictional elements 12 out of contact with the rotatablemember 22 so that the arms 59-18 and the pointer 1I may be movedindependently a'nd rotatively with respect to the member 22. Thisindependent rotation of the arms 69--18 may be effected by means of aflexible member 13 Awhich is wound about the collar 58, one end thereofbeing anchored to the collar and to the other end of the flexible memberis connected one end of a spring 14, the other end of the spring beinganchored as at 15 to an arm or extension 18 secured to a fixed part 11of the yoke 21.

When the arms 63-18 are moved in one direction by the electro responsivedevice the iiexible member 13 will be wound upon the collar 58 andtension will be created in the spring 14. When the electro responsivedevice is de-energized the energy stored inthe spring 14 will rotate thearms 69-18 in the opposite direction or back to their normal positions,a stop 18 being provided to limit this movement. Rotatably supportedupon a fixed part 11 of the yoke 21 is an annular member 18 which isprovided with an arm or extension 19 having a pointer 88 at the free endthereof. The annular portion 18 engages its support 11 with sufficientfriction that when the arm is once moved the friction will hold it inits adjusted position with respect to the dial 81.

A pin or lug 8l extends laterally from the arm 19' (see particularlyFigures 4 and 6) and projects into. the path of .movement of the arm 1,8so that when the arm 18 is moved in the manner as before stated it willengage the pin or projection 8| and thereafter move with it the arm 19and pointer 88.

However, when the arms 69-18 are returned to their normal positions bymeans of the spring 14 and the flexible member 13, the arm 13 and thepointer will remain frictionally held in their adjusted position.

Connected to the shaft 24 of the rotatable member 22 is a shaft 82 of anindicating mechanism, such as a cyclometer or the like, of any desiredconstruction and this indicating mechanism is mounted as at 83 upon thearm 28 of the yoke 21, and embodies indicating mechanism 84 operated bythe shaft 82 for totalizing or registering the length of the rope orcable which has passed through thev indicator.

It is thought that the operation of this device will be clearlyunderstood from the foregoing but briefly stated it is as'follows.

The indicators 1| and 8|) are arranged in a zero position and the roller38 is adjustable to be in proper position with respect to the die I2 sothat the rope or cable coming from the die will engage and rest upon theroller 38. 'Ihe rotatable member 22 Will then rest upon the rope I3.

As the rope is advanced by the haul oi mechanism the rotatable member 22will be rotated and will make a complete revolution at the same time theindicators 1| and 80 will remain at rest.

As the head |4 rotates, the cam |5 will shift the arm 58 to operate theswitch 55 and thereby energize the electro responsive device 43. Uponenergization thereof the yoke 41 will be shifted to bring the frictionelements 12 into contact with the edge of the rotatable member 22 andthis will rotate the indicator 1| moving it across the indications 68.As the indicator 1| is thus moved, tension will be created upon thespring 14 and the flexible member 13 will be Wound around the collar 50.The arm 10 will be moved into contact with the pin 8| of the arm 19carrying the indicator 80 at a predetermined time according to theposition in which the arm 19 is stationed.

Upon engagement of the pin 8| the arm 10 will be moved until the camagain actuates the switch arm 56 to de-energize the electro responsivedevice. Immediately upon de-energization thereof the stress of thespring 14 will through the medium of the iiexible member 13 return thearms 69-10 or indicator 1| back to the zero position or until the arm 10engages the stop 18.

The arm 18 and indicator 80, however, will be yfrictionally held in theposition to which it was adjusted by engagement of the arm 80 with thepin 8l. 'I'his will indicate the length of the lay of the rope or cable.

'Ihe diameter of the rope or cable passing between the rollers 22 and 38will be indicated on the dial 6I by the rise and fall of the rotatablemember 22 and the yoke 21 through the medium of the gear 56 which isfastened to the shaft 30 of the yoke and which gear 86 rotates the gear5 that is secured to the indicator 64.

With this improved construction it will be manifest that the operatorcan at any moment by glancing. at the indicators determine the length ofthe lay of the rope and the diameter of the rope which is passingthrough the machine. At the same time the totalizer or cyclometer 84will indicate the amount or length of the rope which has passed throughthe machine.

. While the preferred form of the invention has been herein shown anddescribed, it is to be understood that various changes may be made inthe details of the construction and in the combination and arrangementof the several parts, within' the scope of the claims, without departingfrom the spirit of this invention.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A lay indicator for use in conjunction with a rotatable strandtwisting or shaping head of a wire rope or cable making machine, saidindicator embodying a rotatable member adapted to be engaged and rotatedby the rope as it passes from said head, an indicating element separatefrom said member, a friction surface on said element, means mountingsaid element for bodily lateral movement with respect to said rotatablemember, shifting means for thus moving said element to cause saidfriction surface to engage said rotatable member whereby said elementwill be rotated thereby, means controlled by the rotation of the saidhead for controlling the operation of the said shifting means, and meansfor maintaining the said indicating element in the position to which ithas been moved by said rotatable member, and when the said shiftingmeans is inactive with respect thereto.

2. In combination with the rotatable twisting head of a wire ropemachine, an element engaged and moved by the rope as it leaves saidmachine, a lay indicator, means shiftable to connect and disconnect saidindicator and element whereby the indicator maybe driven by the rope,and means controlled by said head for controlling said shiftable meansto connect said indicator and element during a predetermined angularmovement only of said head.

3. In combination with the rotatable twisting head of a wire ropemachine, an element engaged and moved by the rope as it leaves saidmachine, a lay indicator, means shiftable. to connect and disconnectsaid indicator and element whereby the indicator may be driven by therope, means controlled by said head for controlling said shiftable meansto connect said indicator and element during a predetermined angularmovement only of said head, the last recited means embodying an electroresponsive device, a circuit therefor, and a make and break device forthe circuit and controlled by said head.

4. In combinationv with the rotatable twisting head of a wire ropemachine, an element engaged and moved by the rope as it leaves saidmachine, a lay indicator, means shiftable to connect and disconnect saidindicator and element whereby the indicator may be driven by the rope,means controlled by said head for controlling said shiftable means toconnect said indicator and element during a predetermined angularmovement only of said head, and means for returning said indicator toits normal position when it is disconnected from said element.

5. In combination with the rotatable twisting head of a wire ropemachine, an element engaged and moved by the rope as it leaves saidmachine, a lay indicator, means shiftable to connect and disconnect saidindicator and element whereby the indicator may be driven by the rope,means controlled by said head for controlling said shiftable means toconnect said indicator and element during a predetermined angularmovement only of said head, an additional indicator element separatefrom the iirst indicator element adapted to be engaged and moved by thelatter when it is connected with the rst said element, means forreturning the rst said indicator to normal position when it isdisconnected from the first said element, and means for maintaining thesaid additional element in the position to which it has been moved bythe first said indicator element. a

6. In combination with the rotatable twisting head of a wire ropemachine, an element engaged and moved by the rope as it leaves saidmachine, a lay indicator, means shiftable to connect and disconnect saidindicator and element whereby 10 the indicator may be driven by therope, means controlled by said head for controlling said shiftable meansto connect said indicator and element during a predetermined angularmovement only o! said head, a pivotally mounted support upon which saidelement, said indicator and said means are mounted, and additionalindicating means controlled in its operation by the movement of saidpivotally mounted support about its pivot for indicating the diameter ofthe rope. WILLIAM E. SOMERVILLE.

